When Love Comes Knocking
by FloatingAmoeba
Summary: Set sometime during Season 7. Lilly's decision to spend Valentine's Day with her family is turned upside down by an unexpected gift.


**A/N** A pointless little Valentine's Day fic that started out as something for Christmas - you'll see why - but I ended up forgetting about it until now! Enjoy! Please read and review, too! :]

Disclaimer: I don't own Cold Case.

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Celeste Cooper hurried in from the kitchen, a pot of some delicious smelling meal held between oven-gloved hands.

"I hope you're hungry," she called into the living room, "because there's enough food to feed an army here."

Her husband chuckled. "Are you sure there aren't any nice young men you want to call, Lilly?"

She sighed heavily.

"Okay, a) not that young, and b) I'm certain. Who likes all this Valentine's Day bullsh..."

"Language!"

"Stuff," Lilly amended, "anyway?"

As it turned out, nobody had the chance to fan her misplaced hatred of all things romantic. Paul looked up in surprise as the doorbell rang, and even Celeste was drawn from her kitchen retreat by the chime.

"I thought you said you weren't expecting company?" he asked, turning to Lilly and frowning at the confusion on her face.

"I'm not."

From his position on the floor, just in front of the fireplace, Finn smirked.

"It's Valentine's Day. If it's that Eddie guy, do I get to...?" He was silenced by the sofa cushion his sister threw at him.

Lilly opened the front door, and blinked in surprise. "Hey," she said, startled, "wow. Uh...hi."

Scotty grinned sheepishly, rubbing a gloved hand over the back of his head.

"Hey, Lil."

She stepped aside to let him in. Seeing the two men in her living room, and hearing a third in the kitchen, Scotty hesitated.

"I should go. You got family an'..."

A hand on his arm made the words disappear.

"But you haven't told me why you're here," Lilly pointed out quietly, a frown of concern creasing her brow. His heart melted, and feeling his smile fade, Scotty stared at her with dark eyes.

"I didn't get you anythin' for Valentine's Day," he stated seriously.

A blush crept up into her cheeks. "No. I mean, it doesn't matter. We're just partners, right? It's not like there's anyth..."

Lilly knew she was rambling - it was what Scotty had been doing to her speaking ability for years - but it was only the gentle finger covering her lips that made the words catch.

"Not because o' that, stupid," he murmured, "Because o' this."

Lilly blinked in surprise as his lips touched hers. She stiffened, but then he was tilting his head to deepen the kiss, and his hands were cupping her cheeks, and Lilly sank into him.

Scotty pressed her back against the doorframe, groaning when her slim fingers tugged on the front of his shirt. His thumbs stroked her cheeks, and with a soft smile, teased her mouth into cautious submission with a nip at her bottom lip.

When they finally broke apart, Lilly stared up at him, a frown creasing her forehead.

"You didn't get me anything for Valentine's Day because you wanted to kiss me?" she asked in confusion. Scotty grinned.

"'Cause anythin' from a store ain't good enough for you," he explained, "an' I wanted to tell you that I been doin' a lot o' thinkin', about what I want from my life. You know...me an' you, we could really have somethin'. I guess I jus' wanna...well, I don' know."

"You don't know?" Lilly echoed, the smallest of smirks appearing around her lips as she tightened her hold on his shirt.

Before he could reply, Finn appeared over her shoulder, grinning impishly and adjusting the Cupid hat on his head.

"Hey, Detective. I don't mean to be too forward or anything, but..." His voice trailed off, and as Lilly followed his line of vision upwards to a bunch of mistletoe she definitely hadn't put there, she felt heat flood her cheeks.

"Oh my God," she muttered in horrified realization, "You're my annoying little brother! What is that even still doing there?"

Finn wriggled his eyebrows, enjoying every moment of her displeasure.

"Washington Irving. The fun only stops when all the berries are gone," he said gleefully, "and I can still see ber..."

Lilly pushed him back inside. "Yeah, I get it. Go eat all my ice cream."

Scotty chuckled. "He's really somethin'."

"Isn't he just?" she muttered through gritted teeth, blushing at the laughs she could now hear from her living room.

Taking advantage of the glare his partner was currently shooting over her shoulder, he took a step towards her. He let a hand fall to her waist and bent his head to press a gentle kiss to her cheek.

Feeling his warm lips against her skin, Lilly heard her breath catch, her whole body frozen in place by the electricity that seemed to dart between them. Scotty chuckled.

"Happy Valentine's Day," he whispered. She pulled back, just far enough for him to feel the words spoken against his lips.

"I think we should try it," she said softly. Scotty nudged his nose against hers.

"Try what?"

"This," she replied, nipping at his lip, "Us."

"Okay," Scotty said uncertainly.

"But we have to talk first. This...has been great, but I can't..."

Hearing the uncertainty that had crept into her voice, and realizing that for them, for Lilly Rush and Scotty Valens, this was a huge step into the unknown, he ran a finger down her cheek.

"I know," he interrupted gently, "So...I'll see you in the morning?"

Lilly blinked in surprise, and Scotty had made it halfway down the path before her voice made him stop.

"Come in for dinner."

With a grin spreading across his face, Scotty turned, slight dimples appearing at the sight of his partner leaning casually against the doorframe.

"Come in for dinner?" he echoed. Lilly shrugged, a shy smile hanging from the corner of her mouth.

"If you can handle three inquisitive minds."

Scotty moved back up the path, reaching her in four steps. "So...dinner on the mos' romantic day o' the year. That constitute a date, Rush?"

The look on her face as she replied was one he would never forget. Lilly tugged on his shirt, blue eyes shining.

"I thought a date was defined by what happened after the meal. You know, when two people are alone..."

Scotty chuckled, shaking his head.

"Aw, man. I'm gonna enjoy this."


End file.
